NCAA Tournament Helps Business

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EAST STROUDSBURG -- The atmosphere at East Stroudsburg University has been electric during St. Patrick's Day weekend.

The university in Monroe County is hosting the Atlantic Region in the NCAA D-II tournament for the first time in school history.

The event has students, parents and alumni pretty pumped.

"To not only make it this far, but to host it, to win everything. It's just been an absolutely awesome season. I couldn't have asked for better," said Stephanie Brown, an ESU parent.

"The students, alumni, fans, they just embrace this whole experience for the kids and I think the hype of that is what's keeping them going, knowing they're supported and they know that they can go all the way," said Erica Nwaniemeka, an ESU parent.

Students at ESU are on spring break, but school officials decided to leave the dorms and dining halls open so students could go to the Koehler Field House and pack the stands.

"It's a once in a life time thing since they never really hosted the tournament. We had to stay and just wait a couple more days to go home," said Niko Morisi, an ESU freshman.

"It's a big tournament a lot of people want to get into it, I think it's big for the whole community, not just the team itself. Even though they are doing real well," said Nate Black, an ESU senior.

Hotels in East Stroudsburg are benefiting from the tournament, too.

A manager at the Budget Inn and Suites said all their rooms were booked for the weekend.

The diner next door also saw a spike in business.

"The local teams and the ESU families all enjoyed our restaurant, so they actually helped our restaurant as well," said Neffatiti Boswell, an employee at the Budget Inn and Suites.

The Warriors won their second tournament game on Saturday night and will play again on home turf on Tuesday.